Clothes Dealer Arrested In 3 New York Shopkeeper Deaths

New York, NY -- New York City police say a balding garment salesman has been arrested for systematically killing three Brooklyn shopkeepers as they worked alone in their clothing stores and had been poised to strike again.

Police says 63-year-old Salvatore Perrone was taken into custody Wednesday after a pharmacy worker recognized him as the man shown in surveillance footage leaving the scene of the most recent shooting, last Friday, with a duffel bag.

Commissioner Raymond Kelly says another shopkeeper came forward and said Perrone had gone into his store and questioned him on whether he worked alone and when he closed.

In a news conference, Kelly said "It's reasonable to assume he was going to keep doing this, and, by arresting him, we saved lives."

Perrone, of Staten Island, was arrested on charges of murder. Detectives say they found the duffel bag at his girlfriend's home. Inside, they said, was a sawed-off rifle used in the killings, along with .22-caliber ammunition, black gloves, women's clothing, a bloody knife and a bottle of bleach.